Latest news with #DickCampbell
Scotsman
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Scottish football's slogan rings true: predictions, Rangers' Celtic must-do and will Hearts topple Hibs?
Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The SPFL released a short video this week to celebrate the start of the league season. 'Scottish football, there's nothing else like it,' was the tagline, featuring well-kent faces such as Dick Campbell, Kris Boyd, Chris Sutton and Eilidh Barbour. This is the weekend that has likely been ringed in many a football fan's diary. All 42 senior clubs are in action across four divisions over four days, beginning at the iconic Gayfield Park in Arbroath, where the Red Lichties host Scott Brown's Ayr United on Friday evening. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The opening 90 minutes of a league season can either swell or squash optimism. While we've had the group stages of the Premier Sports Cup in July, this is when the action really begins for a number of supporters. Rangers need to get closer to Celtic this season. | SNS Group In terms of the Premiership, that commences with one Saturday 3pm kick-off. Traditionalists will lament such a scenario but you better get used to it. The TV company calls the tune (as does European involvement on a Thursday night). Rugby Park is where the first top-flight ball will be thumped in anger when Kilmarnock host Livingston. Most eyes will be drawn to the tea-time staging of Motherwell v Rangers at Fir Park, live on Sky Sports. This will be Russell Martin's first domestic game in charge of the Ibrox side and after navigating his first Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos, he will aim to do what Rangers failed to manage in each of the past two seasons: win their opening match. It would take a churlish Rangers supporter to demand the title this season, given the rebuild Martin and the club's new American owners are undertaking. Eight new players have arrived and more will follow. But getting closer to Celtic has to be a reasonable expectation. Martin needs to take the title race beyond Easter. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Celtic distracted by Rodgers future and transfers A win at Motherwell will put Rangers ahead of Celtic for 24 hours at least. The defending champions unfurl their title flag at home to St Mirren, although all is not entirely rosy in their garden. The future of manager Brendan Rodgers, who is out of contract, continues to set the agenda, while some supporters are not happy with what they perceive to be a frugal transfer window so far. The return of Kieran Tierney at left-back is an exceptional piece of business, given Celtic got him on a free from Arsenal. For the sake of optics, spending £10million might have gone down better with miffed fans. Benjamin Nygren has come in to replace Nicolas Kuhn, who was sold for £15m to Como. They have the strongest squad on paper, yet look weaker than this time last season when Matt O'Riley, Kyogo Furuhashi and Kuhn were in their ranks. To appease Rodgers and the fanbase, Celtic still require reinforcements, particularly in attack. There is also the small matter of a Champions League play-off later this month. Derek McInnes is in the Hearts home dugout. | SNS Group It is hard to properly make a case for another team to break into the top two. Hearts, with the support of Brighton owner Tony Bloom, have openly stated they want to be the 'disruptors'. Confidence is swelling down Tynecastle way. New head coach Derek McInnes has settled effortlessly into his new surroundings and they have done good business in the transfer window, not least by keeping Lawrence Shankland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Many already have Hearts - who stumbled into seventh place last season - booked for third. Edinburgh rivals Hibs may have something to say about that, given David Gray's impressive team claimed the best-of-the-rest crown in 2024/25. The guts of the Easter Road squad remains in place and they have recruited neatly with the arrivals of Josh Mulligan and Jamie McGrath. They also broke their transfer record with the signing of Thibault Klidje from Luzern last month. The Togolese forward cost Hibs £1m and the spending power they, Hearts and Aberdeen have far eclipses the other non-Old Firm teams in the league. They have created their own ecosystem. Aberdeen need to improve despite Scottish Cup win The Dons have guaranteed European league-phase football until Christmas by virtue of their stunning Scottish Cup triumph over Celtic and how manager Jimmy Thelin, in his second season in charge, juggles domestic and continental commitments will go a long way to defining their season. It scuppered them two campaigns ago. While the cup win was a seismic moment, it is worth recalling their stuttering end to the Premiership, where they ended up finishing fifth. Improvement will be required. A big task awaits them on Monday night, under the lights and the TV cameras, when they begin the season at Hearts. Dundee United pipped Aberdeen to fourth spot in what was an excellent return to the top flight for Jim Goodwin and Co. They have already started their European adventure - in terms of signings and also in action. Players from Moldova, Ukraine and further afield have rocked up at Tannadice and much scrutiny has been given to their first line-up without a Scot while defeating UNA Strassen in the Conference League. Their aim is to cling on to the coattails of bigger spenders. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad St Mirren have been the top-six gatecrashers of the past three seasons and should Stephen Robinson land a four-timer, then surely a manager of the year award should be forthcoming. The Buddies remain built on a solid foundation of hard work and strength. Two Jamaicans in defender Richard King and forward Jalmaro Calvin add a bit of glamour to their squad. St Mirren's Jamaican defender Richard King. | SNS Group What they won't want to do is get embroiled in a nervy relegation battle with a host of other clubs in the Premiership. There does not appear to be much between Kilmarnock, Motherwell, Dundee and the two newly-promoted teams in Falkirk and Livingston. Matters at the foot of the table should be just as intriguing at the top. Killie, Well and the Dee all have new managers. Stuart Kettlewell went through the cup group stages without conceding a goal and life after McInnes at Rugby Park will be fascinating viewing. The same can be said at Fir Park, where despite German Michael Wimmer scarpering just months into his Motherwell tenure, the board have gone foreign again with the appointment of Jens Berthel Askou from Denmark. He is implementing a new style but probably won't be able to call upon Scotland internationalist Lennon Miller, with the teenager set for a £5m move abroad. He will need some of that fee to reconfigure his squad. Unlike Kettlewell and Askou, Dundee's new manager Steven Pressley was unable to overcome the Premier Sports Cup group stages. Galling defeats by Airdrieonians and Alloa Athletic have heaped yet more pressure on the 51-year-old, who was not a universally popular appointment in the first place. Shorn of last season's key men in Mulligan, Lyall Cameron and Mo Sylla, Dundee have yet to impress and are many people's favourites for the drop. Their home match on Sunday against Hibs already feels quite important. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Falkirk have risen sharply under John McGlynn. | SNS Group The two newly-promoted teams in Falkirk and Livingston will aim to capitalise on any easy prey. The Bairns are riding the crest of a wave following back-to-back promotions under wily manager John McGlynn. They will need to smarten up in the Premiership, which is something David Martindale knows exactly how to do given his experience. Their play-off triumph over Ross County was one of the stories of last season. Returning to the Championship is not desired whatsoever. Always a competitive league, you couldn't fit a fag paper between the main protagonists in that division: St Johnstone, County, Ayr United, Partick Thistle and Raith Rovers. Dunfermline under Neil Lennon may have something to say. League One and League Two promise to be just as competitive too. That's why we love Scottish football. Storylines everywhere. This season will be no different. Enjoy the ride. The Scotsman's predictions Premiership - Winners: Celtic; Runners-up: Rangers; Third place: Hearts; Bottom place: Dundee. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Championship - Winners: St Johnstone; Runners-up: Ross County; Bottom place: Arbroath. League One - Winners: Inverness Caledonian Thistle; Runners-up: Alloa Athletic; Bottom place: Montrose.
BBC News
01-08-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
The Championship is back... where the soul of Scottish football lives
When faced with the question of who will win the Championship this season, the words of that great philosopher Homer J Simpson spring to mind."I never make predictions - and I never will."This self-defeating maxim seems like a particularly apt code to live by when it comes to contemplating the strange and splendid chaos that is Scotland's second tier. And it all kicks-off on Friday evening with Arbroath hosting Ayr United in front of the Sportscene about predictions and sane football chat, just enjoy the madness - and hope the Gayfield wind machine is switched on for even more added days of Dick Campbell at Arbroath are long gone but the embers of that bunnet-inspired titanic title tussle with Kilmarnock back in season 2021-22 still burn brightly on the Angus coast. Two of his trusty lieutenants from those glory days – Colin Hamilton and David Gold - now share player-management duties, and to great effect. The club will unfurl the League One flag before the match with Ayr, testament to a side that knows how to the second tier is a different barrel of smoked fish. While the Red Lichties may publicly aspire to higher ambitions, survival for the part-time side would surely count as success. After all, their last match was a 1-0 defeat to League Two Forfar Athletic. Clearly that is not ideal. Is scent of promotion in the Ayr? What does success look like for Ayr United?At the end of last season a visibly scunnered Scott Brown cast doubt on his own future as Ayr exited the those dark clouds have seemingly scudded off into the distance with Brown leading his side to four wins out of four in the Premier Sports Cup group stage, including a 4-0 win over Arbroath at Somerset Park. Add to this new signings like Dom Thomas, Kevin Holt and Shaun Want who have all returned from across the Irish Sea – indeed, former Hamilton Academical defender Want was player of the season for a Larne side who competed in Europe - and suddenly the Honest Men look to have the nous and ability to set solid foundations. Off the field the club is heading in the right direction too. Could this finally be their year?Their final match of the season will be at home to St Johnstone. The Perth side are among the favourites to win the division after their 16-year stay in the top flight came to an have stuck with Simo Valakari, clearly believing in his vision of attack-minded football. It worked for Falkirk last season and has clearly worked for the Saints in the League Cup thus far, four wins out of four ending in a flourish with an 8-0 destruction of Elgin to this an intriguing blend of decent performers from last season - Sven Sprangler, Jason Holt and Adama Sidebeh - now allied with proven Championship additions like Sam Stanton, Reece McAlear and Morgan Boyes and there looks to be promise there. The signing of Stevie Mallan also catches the eye. Some bookies are making the other relegated Premiership side Ross County favourites to win the BBC Scotland pundits seems to be de rigueur and owner Roy McGregor has prised John Robertson away from weekends on Sportsound to lend his experience to manager Don Staggies have also brought in quality and experience with Declan Gallagher, Ross Docherty, Nicky Clark and Gary Mackay-Steven. They all know this territory inside out and should immediately stamp some identity into the would certainly be a big surprise if County or St Johnstone finish outside the top four. The evidence of Livingston last season shows that the teams dropping out of the top flight are highly likely to be in the mix. Also traditionally in that top four mix are Partick Thistle, but how will they fare without talismanic captain and striker Brian Graham who left to join Falkirk?Pretty well if the League Cup is any barometer. The Jags were another side with four wins out of four to win their group. Interestingly that also included a 3-1 away win at Ross County. The addition of Tony Watt, who won the Championship with Dundee United, looks astute as they seek to replace the 20-goals-a-season gap left by Graham. Will box office Dunfermline deliver blockbuster season? Could the box office be at Dunfermline Athletic? Possibly, with poker playing tycoon co-owner James Bord - who also has involvement with a sports analytic firm - now in control at East End Park along with former Celtic boss Neil Lennon in the make them Championship dark horses and three wins in the League Cup plus a defeat at Hearts where they earned plaudits points to positive signs for the kick off their season off away to Greenock Morton who are another club to have brought in an experienced hand to help the manager. In this case it's the former Motherwell, Derby and Nottingham Forest boss Billy Davies who has arrived as technical head coach to work with Dougie Imrie. Three League Cup group wins and second round progression to face Aberdeen bodes the best bit of business Raith Rovers did in the summer was keeping star winger Dylan Easton. If he can keep back spasm issues at bay he has proved before that he can be one of the star players in this already has five goals in four matches in what was mixed bag of a League Cup campaign for the Kirkcaldy what to make of Airdrieonians? Hamilton Academical's points deduction which saw them plunge into League One saw gave the Diamonds the chance to survive via the will be hope they can do better this time given Rhys McCabe's side won plenty of plaudits in their first season in the second tier. That 1-0 win over Premiership Dundee in the League Cup will have done no lastly Queen's Park... With wealthy philanthropist Willie Haughey ending his financial backing of the club next summer, this season looks like being all about transition. Given this backdrop, it is difficult to see them emulating the promotion push of course, the football is only part of it in the Championship, where we have the allure of those hard-fired pies (which only occasionally get fired onto the pitch), the rickety stands which evoke memories of a bygone age and the passion and colour which spill forth from those stands in often wondrous and wacky ways onto our television screens on Friday soul of Scottish football lives here. It is wonderful to be part of it and the madcap chaos is about to begin again. Sit back and enjoy.
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kettlewell demands Killie to be more 'threatening' in final third
Kilmarnock must be more "threatening" in front of goal against East Fife if they are to progress in the Premier Sports Cup insists Stuart Kettlewell. Killie recorded their third clean sheet of the group stage in their goalless draw with Kelty Hearts, but are now just one point ahead of both the Fifers and Livingston in Group H before Saturday's deciding games. Kettlewell's side will progress if they win at home against the League 1 outfit, but he knows they will need to improve their attacking play against Dick Campbell's side. "We have to be more threatening and we have to be able to go and express ourselves a wee bit more with some more composure to make sure we capitalise on opportunities," he told Killie TV. "If we think it's going to be any different – people not throwing their body on the line and defending their penalty box like Kelty Hearts did – then we are seriously mistaken. "It will be a difficult enough game for us and we will have to play with some real tempo to be able play through them and carve out opportunities. "What we will do between now and then is understand why we didn't execute it better and why we didn't finish. "Sometimes that's the last thing to come in pre-season so I don't become ultra negative, but the demands are there that we become more threatening in front of goal."
BBC News
23-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Kettlewell demands Killie to be more 'threatening' in final third
Kilmarnock must be more "threatening" in front of goal against East Fife if they are to progress in the Premier Sports Cup insists Stuart recorded their third clean sheet of the group stage in their goalless draw with Kelty Hearts, but are now just one point ahead of both the Fifers and Livingston in Group H before Saturday's deciding side will progress if they win at home against the League 1 outfit, but he knows they will need to improve their attacking play against Dick Campbell's side."We have to be more threatening and we have to be able to go and express ourselves a wee bit more with some more composure to make sure we capitalise on opportunities," he told Killie TV."If we think it's going to be any different – people not throwing their body on the line and defending their penalty box like Kelty Hearts did – then we are seriously mistaken."It will be a difficult enough game for us and we will have to play with some real tempo to be able play through them and carve out opportunities."What we will do between now and then is understand why we didn't execute it better and why we didn't finish."Sometimes that's the last thing to come in pre-season so I don't become ultra negative, but the demands are there that we become more threatening in front of goal."
BBC News
02-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Two penalties help Falkirk come from behind against East Fife
Two penalties helped Falkirk come from behind to defeat League 1 outfit East Fife in Methil on Tuesday striker Alan Trouten fired Dick Campbell's hosts ahead before Calvin Miller's spot-kick and captain Brad Spencer's neat goal had the Bairns in front at the Nesbitt extended the visitors lead in the second half, before Gregor Nicol nicked one back with 20 minutes to Sean Mackie was fouled in the box minutes later and half-time substitute, Scott Arfield, scored the second penalty of the McGlynn's side have two more friendlies Raith Rovers on 5 July (15:00) and St Johnstone three days later (19:30), before their League Cup group stage campaign kicks off on 12 July with a trip to Brechin City.
